U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun in Malaysia.
On Saturday, following his meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun in Malaysia, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the United States and China had agreed on the need to establish military communication channels between the two countries. The goal is to reduce tensions and prevent escalation of any future disputes, according to Reuters.
After the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, Hegseth revealed that U.S. and Chinese officials will hold further meetings to develop these communication channels. X:
> “I had an equally positive meeting with my counterpart, Chinese National Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun, in Malaysia.”
Hegseth revealed that U.S. and Chinese officials will hold further meetings to develop these communication channels.
On Thursday, President Trump stated that he had reached an agreement with China to reduce tariffs in exchange for Beijing resuming purchases of U.S. soybeans, ensuring continued exports of rare earth metals, and enforcing strict measures against illegal fentanyl trade.
Trump made the announcement after his direct meeting with President Xi in Busan, South Korea—their first talks since 2019.
The meeting was the final stop in Trump’s swift Asian tour, during which he praised what he called trade progress with South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian nations.
Trump said the agreement with China would bring prosperity and security to millions of Americans. He added that China would begin purchasing American energy, stating:
“A broad deal may be reached for China to buy oil and gas from the state of Alaska.”